Apparatus for drying wool



(No Model.)

J. E. BARNEY.

APPARATUS FOR DRYING WOOL.

/qpatented 001;. 24, 41893. Q4

-1 mi@emunmnm UNITED STATES PATENT Gummi.

JAMES E. BARNEY, OF HYDE PARK, MASSACHUSETTS.

APPARATUS FOR DRYING WOOL.

SPECIFICATION forming` part of Letters Patent NO. 507,304, dated October24, 1893.

Application tiled August 15, 1890. Serial No. 362,086. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES E. BARNEY, a citizen of the United States,residing in Hyde Park, county of Norfolk, State of Massachusetts, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Drying Wool, &c.,of which the following is a specilication.

My invention consists in the improved construction and arrangement ofthe several parts of the apparatus, as hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure l, is a longitudinal section of thedrier embodying my invention in its simplest form. Fig. 2, is alongitudinal section of the drier in which there are two circulatingcurrents having the general direction toward each other. Fig. 3, is thetop plan of the same,a portion of the covering or casing being brokenaway. Fig. 5, is a transverse section on aline a', of Fig. 3. Fig. 6, isa perspective view with a portion of the top and side casing brokenaway. Fig. 4., represents a horizontal section with the foraminous apronremoved showing the compartments below the apron.

Similar letters and iigures of reference denote like parts where theyoccur in the drawings.

In the accompanying drawings, A is the box or casing of the drier whichis divided into separate compartments by a partition a, which projects asuitable distance into the circulating chamber. An endless foraminousapron B, for supporting the material to be dried extends through theVcirculating chamber Gr over the partition ot and the separatedcompartments. This foraminous endless apron may extend through thecirculating chamber, as shown in the drawings, or it may be divided soas to form more than one apron. The apron B .travels on the revolvingdrums B', B', and the heater H, located on the suction side of the airmoving wheel or fan F, serves to heat the air admitted from the outsideof the drier, as it is drawn through the heater and forced into one ofthe separated compartments and thence through the foraminous apron andthe material thereon, into the air circulating chamber G and reverselyinto the other compartment through the foraminous apron and the materialthereon, and through a conduit C, back to the heating chamber forcontinued circulation and re-heating. Controllable openings A', A2,located at any suitable portion of the circulating chamber serve as aninlet for the fresh dry air and as an outlet respectively for a portionof the moist heated air, and a suitable exhaust fan AB may be applied tothe opening A2 if desired, thereby aording the means for regulating thetemperature and condition of the circulating air by forcing out aportion of the moist heated air, while the main current is incirculation. The inlet A may on occasion be'entirely closed and thecirculation maintained with the same heated air.

It will be observed that the foregoing description applies not only tothe drier in which the circulation is induced by a single wheel andheated by a single heater, but it is also applicable to a machine inwhich there are two or more currents induced by two or more fans andheated by more than one heater. Such a construction is illustrated inthe drawings in Figs. 2, 3, 5 and 6, in which the currents circulatefrom each end of the drier toward the center, where they are gathered,and the return circulation assisted, by the third fan. In thisconstruction which is a duplication of the principle illustrated in Fig.l, each current of air is forced from one of the compartments 2, throughthe foraminous apron and the material thereon, into the air circulatingchamber G and reversely into the other compartment 3, through theforaminous apron and the material thereon, and by the third fan the twoconverging currents are drawn through the foraminous apron and thematerial to be dried, and forced into the return conduits to theheaters.

In the last mentioned figures the casing A, is divided by the partitionsa, into several compartments 1, l, 2, 2, and 3, as shown in Fig. 6, thelower portion of the apron B passing over friction rollers located underthe lower edge of the said partitions, the said partitions beingcontinued above the apron and its supported material. The inlet openingsA, A', are formed at the opposite ends of the casing A, and near thesaid openings are placed the heaters H H, the return conduits C,occupying the upper portion of the case. The apron B is made to projectat one end of the casing for the purpose of feeding in the material,which when dried is passed out at the opposite end of the machine. Theair connection IOO between the compartments l and 2, at each end ofthemachine, is formed by a lateral passage I, in which is placed the fan F,and the air connection between the middle compartment 3, and the returnconduits C for conveying the air to the opposite end of the machine forcontinued circulation through the heaters I-I, is formed by the lateralpassage I in which is placed the fan F which serves to draw theconverging currents of air downward through the apron B, and thematerial to be dried into the said middle compartment 3, and force thesame upward through the passage I', into the return conduits C, forre-heating and continued circulation, the waste moist air passing out ofthe openings A2, at the bottom of the lateral air passage I.

I claim as my inventionl. In a drying machine, the combination with themovable foraminous apron for conveying the material to be dried, of anair circulating chamber above the said apron, and duplicate compartmentsat the lower side of the apron, the inlet for fresh air, the outlet forthe moist heated air, the heater near the inlet opening, the returnconduit for the moist heated air, and the fan located between the heaterand the first compartment, for drawing the mixed, moist and fresh air,through the heater, and forcing the same into the said firstcompartment, thence through the said apron and the material to be driedinto the circulating chamber above the apron, thence through the saidmaterial and apron into the second compartment, and thence through thereturn conduit to the heatcrfor re-circulation through the machine,substantially as described.

2. In a drying machine, the combination with the movable foraminousapron B, for conveying the material to be dried, the heaters H, I-I, atthe opposite ends of the machine, the compartments 1, 1, 2, 2, and 3,below the apron, the air circulating chambers G, G, above the apron, thelateral passages I, I, and I', the fans F, F, for drawing the airthrough the heaters, and through the foraminous apron, into thecompartments1,1,andforcing thesamethence into the compartments 2, 2, andthence upward through the foraminous apron, into the air circulatingchambers G, G, thence downward through the foraminous apron into themiddle compartment 3, the conduits C, C, extending each way from thepassage I to the heaters ['I, I-I, the fan F', for forcing the moist airthrough the said passage and conduits to the heaters for recirculation,and suitable openings for the inlet of fresh air, and the exhaust of themoist air, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand,in presence of twowitnesses, this 3d day of June, 1890.

JAMES E. BARNEY. Witnesses:

HENRY MARSH, Jr., SOCRATES SCHOLFIELD.

